Steve Markowitz and Betsy Diaz’s story starts in Brooklyn, takes a decades-long detour, and ends up — for now — with the smell of fresh mini donuts wafting from their market stand.
“We’re high school sweethearts; we parted ways as teenagers,” Markowitz said. “After high school, we each went our own way. We connected through Facebook in the last year — and now we’re as hot a couple as ever.”
The pair reunited and launched a joint passion project: Crave N Crumble, a portable mini donut operation that pops up at farmers markets, food truck festivals and special events across Long Island.
“We’re doing this business together,” Diaz said. “This is our passion project.”
Markowitz, who lives in Massapequa, has a long history with food service.
“I always liked serving food,” he said. “I used to be a pizza man, and I’m good at making pizza. As I went through different phases in my career, I always wanted to do something on my own. Donuts are a way to make people smile. Food makes everybody happy.”
The couple started with a base recipe they developed together.
“This is part of our original recipe that we worked on,” Diaz said. “We haven’t changed it much, but we plan on making changes based on feedback. We’ll rotate the flavors based on what people love — maybe a s’mores flavor one month, something else the next.”
That rotation has yielded playful experiments, from crowd-pleasers to conversation-starters.
The classics still lead in sales.
“Powdered sugar, probably vanilla sprinkles — those are the most popular,” Diaz said. “Then it’s pretty evenly spread across the other flavors.”
Part of Crave N Crumble’s success is thanks to Long Island’s tight-knit food truck and vendor community.
“They’re very supportive,” Markowitz said. “Every time I go out, people tell me about other events. A guy just came up to me today and said, ‘Hey, we’re doing an event on Sunday, can you come?’ Every time I come out, somebody invites me to the next thing.”
The network effect has been a boon.
“This guy knows that guy, invites me to this, and then they’re like, ‘I know a donut guy,’” Markowitz said. “There’s room for more, and people are eager to share opportunities.”
Crave N Crumble maintains a social media presence on Instagram and Facebook, which Diaz says is the easiest way for customers to follow their schedule.
Event bookings have ranged from markets and festivals to private celebrations.
Crave N Crumble fits right into the summer festival circuit, where bold flavors and interactive experiences draw customers in. One week, it might be cotton candy, and the next week, it might be cinnamon sugar.
The duo’s rekindled romance adds another layer to the business. Both speak about their project with the enthusiasm of people building something meaningful together.
“We reconnected after 35 years,” Diaz said. “Now we get to spend our days making something we love and sharing it with people.”
Markowitz agrees. “It’s not just about selling donuts,” he said. “It’s about being out there, meeting people, having fun — and hopefully being part of their happy memories.”
Crave N Crumble can be found most weekends at farmers’ markets and food festivals across Nassau and Suffolk counties, often at Food Truck Fridays in Levittown. Their schedule, updated regularly, is posted on their social media pages.
For Markowitz and Diaz, the venture is about more than profits. It’s about combining nostalgia, community, and a love of food into a small, joyful package.
“Donuts make people smile,” Markowitz said.”That’s the whole point.”
